The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-05-24

statement ot iNt- W llht->'N 'f,'
tain Perry says of the Disaster
New YORK. May 93.-Not since the
wreck of the steamer Oregon has such
disastrous accident happened to one OF
the ocean steamers as the collision oi
the Celtic. from Liverpool, and the Bri'
tannic. of the White Star Line, from
New York. on Thursday, of the banks.
4 hole was stove in the Britannica bows,
and she was turned back. Several steer
are passengers were killed by the shock.
I'm comnany with the Celtic the vessel
reached this port yesterday morning.
Both the Britannia aud Celtic are
anchored at the Scotland lightship. The
Merritt Wrecking Company is pumping
out the former. There is suspicion
that some of the Britannic's passengers
were drowned i'm the broken compart-
ment The question of where the blame
of the collision should rest is not easily
determined Statements coming from
those favorable to the company say the
for was the cause: that all precautions
were used and that the disaster could not
be avoided ON the other hand state
ments from many of the passengers were
that the two steamers were gong al
dangerous rate of speed. The state
ments regarding the fog signals are con
Hicting. Some Of the passengers say the
Celtic's whistles were not sounding anu
others state thc contrary. The officers ot
both ships are 10th to speak about the
accident Captain Perry however nm
ally said
CAPTAIN PERRY's STATEMENT.
SIT was a dense fog and we were going
at half speed and whislling. When we
saw the Celtic loom mp through the fog
we were very close and Immediately
ordered full speed ahead in the hope ot
clearing her. but we did not. The Celtic
was to blame. I'm that she did not back
af full speed. for that would have helped
ms to clear or at least lessened the blow.
Captain Irving of the Celtic was In
charge Of the White Star steamer Re
public when IL ran into the Cunard
steamer Aurania In the swash channel
year ago. He has good record as cap
lain lle said he was going AT hall
speed and was blowing whistle at regu-
/ lar intervals Extra lOokouts were also
stationed, and every precaution taken to
prevent our coming in contact with any
other vessel
THE FATAL SHOCK.
d." A little after o'clock | heard the
whistle of another steamer II seemed at
such a distance that did not think there
was any danger of our meeting. | rang
the bell to stop the engines, and just then
the Britannia loomed up on our starboard,
apparently trying to cross our bow. !
ordered the engines stopped, but it was
too late
pA-sENGERs COMPLAINT.
Some of the steerage passengers stated
that the dead bodies were disposed OF In
a manner that lacked even the elements of
common dccency. They aver that the
sailor, -h0yeled overheard the bloody
fragments of humanity as much as they
did small dclris aused by the collision.
The passengers also complain OF the in
. adequacy of the life boats and the diiii
Guilty experienced I'm reaching tie life
Jackets which were placed SD far aft that
had there been any immediate danger
many would have been unable to supply
, themselves. and the possibility of this
. danger was not yely remote, fOr had the
. breach made by the Celtic been two feet
/ further forward, the engine aud boiler
{ rooms would have been Hooded
MEN ACTING LIKE BEASTS.
j. f. Lucas, merchant, now at Tia,
Astor House. was "a cabin passenger on
. tbe Britannia. lie says the tircmen on
tbc Britannia behaved like wild beasts
10 About twenty of them banded together
=, and usl as soon as The life boats wer'
. lowered they sprang into them, pushing
the women aside Though Captain Perry
threatened tO shoot them, they showed of
and pulled for the Celtic. They came
back when the danger was over, but wcr'
not allowed 10 come on board. Tia
- ladies. hc said, behaved herOically.
h FEAR Dl-soLyEs DISTINCTIONS.
r Another cabin passenger during Tia
" voyage SAYS that the panic was terrible
d ana That number Of women in the steer
Il are took refuge IN The cabin with lhei
babe. in their arms. Caste had been lai'
aside in the moment Of universal danger
but when 10 was over the dead lin
g marked by first class ticket was agai
% .tronglydrawn and the poor women wer
"a driven from the cabin with blows an
% curses by the stewards The women pa
% .cnger. loudly condemned this brutality
n and suggested memorial condcmnn
D. the officers, butit was suppressed.
AYOUNo HISTORIAN KILLED.
Little Jennie Robinson was sitting b.
side her mother when the Celtic appeare
'. engaged i'm writing a history Of the yo
age for her father She went 20 the IA
~ ro yet the name OF the big ship and W.
" one of the lirsl killed. The reports as
~ the number of lives lost in the collsio
y" are very conflicting. A physician wl
made close search says that seven bOdi
were buried and is certain that othe
were drowned and lost in the confusio
be DOZEN PERSONS KILLED.
IL Rev DR. Dcpuy says After person
IN inquiry made on both the succeediu
.e days in the steeragc department, whe
lt. all the casualties occurred. | believe q
ed list of deaths embraces not more thi